Small Secrets in the Forest
by MrsEDarcy
Summary: It's Connor's fault. Connor had tricked Travis into wandering into the woods alone, at night. Now he's lost, but out of pure luck he seems to have found their mortal enemy Katie Gardner. Then again, it's not like he had a major crush on her or anything...What will they discover about themselves and the other in the forest? Maybe it's what they needed to know. Tratie. One-Shot.


**I don't own PJO.**

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Travis was going to kill Connor the next moment he saw him.

It was his brother's idea to pull their next major prank in the woods. He had said that he was going to meet him at this one tree that had a star cut into the trunk under the cover of nightfall and they would commit the best prank ever. He just had to run out to get some supplies first.

Alone in the dark with only his visible breath for company, Travis shivered. He wasn't exactly afraid of being in the dark, but it was the loneliness that got him.

After about thirty minutes alone in the dark, Travis came to two conclusions. One he was utterly lost, because even though Hermes was the god of travelers, he had no sense of direction, and two his brother tricked him. "Greatest prank ever…" Travis muttered bitterly. "When I get my hands on him…"

He walked around aimlessly; heart pounding in his chest expecting the worst thing possible to happen. He hated being alone, strength in numbers they always said. He was a decent fighter, but in these woods? He didn't stand much of a chance.

Then he saw a sight that simultaneously alleviated his fears and made his heart race faster.

Katie Gardner, his not so little crush of many years. She was leaning against a tree twirling her brown hair around her finger as she listened to her iPod. "Katie?"

She looked up and scoffed. "Stoll. What are you doing here?"

He sat next to her and she looked at him warily before scooting over. "Connor tricked me," he admitted. She laughed a little at that.

"Did the student supersede the master?"

He whistled. "Big words, did they hurt that pretty little head of yours Katie-Kat?"

"Ha, like you even know what superseded means!"

"My GPA says differently, as does NYU, you know the college I'm going to?"

Katie blinked. "You're going to NYU?" She wasn't so much surprised that he was going to college; you had to have a few smarts to be able to prank everyone in camp including the Athena cabin. What had surprised her was that he had chosen the same one she had. "I'm going there. Will I never be rid of you two?"

Travis laughed. "'Fraid not Katie-Kat, well at least you won't be rid of me. Connor wants to go to my mom's alma mater."

She groaned, but she was smiling on the inside. Travis away from Connor? Maybe then she wouldn't have to chare his attention. _Wait a minute Katie, why do you want Travis to yourself?_

Katie had to admit Travis was attractive, if only because the Aphrodite cabin told her on a regular basis. He had the same features as the rest of the Hermes cabin, but he made them his own. She even had to admit that his eyes were really pretty; they reminded her of sapphires, and knowing him it was possible that he had stolen them as an embryo and used it as his eyes.

"Will you stop calling me Katie-Kat; it makes me sound like a chocolate bar!"

"Who doesn't want to be a chocolate bar?"

She rolled her eyes. "People want to eat chocolate. No one wants to be the chocolate." He leaned in a little closer, making her shiver imperceptibly.

"Well too bad, because…" He leaned in and kissed her. "You are the chocolate, and I'm the little kid in need of a sugar rush."

She blinked, what had just happened? Travis was bold, but she had never expected this of him. She wanted him to sweep her off her feet, not this. But nothing ever came quite as you wanted it to with him.

Travis had even surprised himself with his boldness. He cleared his throat awkwardly, "So what were you doing out here?"

"Thinking. I like to get away from the hustle and bustle of camp and have some alone time."

"Alone time? Sounds absolutely horrible."

She arched her eyebrow. "How, teenagers are supposed to want to be left alone."

"Not me, being alone means no one else is there to help you or care about you."

Katie looked mildly surprised. He seemed to be completely scared of being alone and she knew that probably wasn't healthy. However, she had actually thought it was kind of cute. "I'm scared of being forgotten."

"What? Who could forget you? I mean, you're gorgeous, and funny…I'm going to stop talking now."

She gave him a small smile. "It's just; you know Mom doesn't really care about us. Persephone is always going to be her favorite."

"Luke was always Dad's favorite, even when he was evil."

Katie shook her head. "Travis, you don't get it. Mom's favorite child is immortal. She's not going to remember me or Miranda or any of my other siblings."

"That's crazy," he said with a sigh.

"Mom's pretty crazy. I admit though, I like the bit of freedom it gives me. She's not monitoring me closely so I can be freer than my sister." Katie hit him lightly on the arm. "I do however get her attention when I spend all my time yelling at you."

Travis laughed. "You do have a loud voice."

"I think it makes her remember us, if that makes sense. That we actually stand out and do things."

He stood up. "Katie, you want to stand and be remembered, I never want to be alone. Why don't we, run off and get married?"

"What?"

He shrugged. "I don't l know. It's just I've liked you for a long time and there's no way anyone could forget you then…" Katie stood up next to him and took his hand.

"This is so…stupid of us."

"You don't have to," he whispered.

She blushed lightly. "I…kind of want to, if only because I'm curious."

"Curiosity can kill you, Katie Kat. I'm not exactly many people's first choice, either way. I'm sure"

"Well," Katie said, "I've liked you a long time, too, if I'm honest."

Travis smiled a little. "I know a place we could go right now."

"Really?"

"Yeah, and if we get tired of being married there's a divorce attorney a few doors down."

She laughed. "Okay, where are we headed?"

"Just follow me," he said. Then Travis looked around and smiled shyly at his new fiancée. "Um…actually….could you lead us out of here? You know, just to the camp SUVs. I can hotwire them from there."

She laughed and kissed his cheek. "Maybe I will, if you promise buy me a ring and not steal it. I don't want to marry a felon."

"How about a RingPop?"

Katie laughed and pulled him along. "You better keep up, I've been promised a husband and a wearable lollipop and I'm going to get them both."

Travis's smile grew as he thought of everyone's reaction the next day. Never being forgotten indeed, not as long as he was there.

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**A/N:**

**My first Tratie one-shot, I just didn't picture them as a couple to wait for anything. They would the one's eloping.**


End file.
